“I ain’t never heard nothing like that before in my life,” said Smith. “The wheels were still turning on the bus, you know, and some kids had got thrown out of the bus.”

All the neighbors jumped into action, attending to dozens of dazed and confused students.

Talley Road memorial (Photo: WKRN)

“One little boy, he was telling me that he couldn’t find his shoe. Another little boy couldn’t find his sister,” explained Smith. “They were just hollering and screaming, all of them in a different tone.”